Canadian New Media Awards

Press Releases

Canadian New Media Awards Rebrand as Digis
veteran awards enter new era with Canadian Digital Media Awards

Toronto, ON – nextMEDIA is pleased to announce the next phase in digital media and cross platform, with the rebrand of its national awards program - the Canadian New Media Awards have been reborn as the Canadian Digital Media Awards, or “The Digis”. Keeping in step with the constant evolution in new media, The Digis will showcase and celebrate excellence in all areas of digital media, including cross platform production, interactive, emerging technologies and development.

The Canadian New Media Awards celebrated its 10th year last night, with an awards gala at the Design Exchange in Toronto. “The last decade has seen monumental changes in the industry, and the new face of our awards program reflects the strides in the industry,” says Digis executive director Mark Greenspan. “We look forward to another ten years of incredible innovation and seeing what the industry has in store.”

The Digis are the country’s only nationwide competition that celebrates the accomplishments of Canada’s most successful digital media companies. They are a part of nextMEDIA Toronto, Canada’s leading forum for the convergence of all forms of digital media.

Québec Representation Shines for CMNA 2010 Nominations
Canadian New Media Awards receives overwhelming amount of entries.

Toronto, Ontario (November 1, 2010) – The Canadian New Media Awards (CNMAs) is thrilled to have received a record breaking number of entrants from across Canada for the 2010 awards, and out of over 60 finalists, 25% represent Francophone and Quebecois companies and talent. Nominees include individuals native to the province, companies with Québec-based offices and staff, and media featuring French language content.

The Canadian New Media Awards are a part of nextMEDIA Toronto, Canada’s leading forum for the convergence of all forms of digital media, taking place November 29 to 30, 2010 at the Design Exchange in Toronto. The CNMA gala ceremony will be held December 1, 2010 on the Trading Floor of the Design Exchange.

“Québec and our francophone neighbours have featured prominently in this year’s nominations,” says Jory Groberman, Executive Director of nextMEDIA. “The province is a hotbed for fresh talent and creative enterprise, and their achievements and innovation continue to grow each year.” The CNMAs are the country’s only nationwide competition that celebrates the accomplishments of Canada’s most successful digital media companies.

The Québecois-based companies, talent, and media with French-language content nominated for the 2010 Canadian New Media Awards are:

•    Benoit Beauséjour, Turbulent Media (Developer of the Year)
•    CTVOlympics.ca and RDSolympiques.ca: Canada’s Olympic Digital Olympic Destination, CTV (Best Online Portal)
•    En Audition Avec Simon, a_media (Best Online Program, Series or Film)
•    Frima Studio (Company of the Year)
•    Gilette Proglide, Proximity Canada (Best Online Advertising)
•    Guinevere Ovris, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (Digital Media Woman of the Year)
•    Le Tapis Rose de Catherine, Le Productions Rose Nanan (Best in Canadian Culture – Interactive)
•    My Life Me / 3etMoi, CarpeDiem Film & TV Inc. (Best Kids Interactive)
•    Nadia G. (Nadi Giosia), www.BitchinLifestyle.tv (Digital Media Woman of the Year)
•    Phillippe Lemarre, TOXA (Producer of the Year)
•    Pocheville.ca, Motel Bigoudi, Inpix and Nicolas Dubé (Community Campaign of the Year)
•    RemYx, Vivavision (Best Online Program, Series or Film)
•    RoboMath / RoboMatique, Canadian Space Agency and Project Whitecard Inc. (Best Kids Interactive)
•    Tourism Montréal – Montréal Buzz, Sid Lee (Best Online Advertising)
•    Yann Paquet, Reader’s Digest (Executive of the Year)

New categories for 2010 include:  Digital Media Technology of the Year; Best Online Program, Series or Film; Community Campaign of the Year; Interactive Designer of the Year; and Digital Media Woman of the Year.

The event is a four-part affair comprised of a pre-awards showcase, cocktail reception, awards ceremony and the much-anticipated after-party.

Canadian New Media Awards Announces 2010 Nominees
Canada’s only digital media awards recognize country’s best interactive media specialists

Toronto, ON (Oct 12, 2010) – The Canadian New Media Awards (CNMAs) is proud to present the final 2010 nominees. The CNMAs are the country’s only nationwide competition that celebrates the accomplishments of Canada’s most successful digital media companies. Now in its 10th year, the Canadian New Media Awards are a part of nextMEDIA Toronto, Canada’s leading forum for the convergence of all forms of digital media, taking place November 29 to 30, 2010 at the Design Exchange in Toronto. The CNMA gala ceremony will be held December 1, 2010 on the Trading Floor of the Design Exchange.

“We received more entries than any other year from almost every province in Canada, and we’re thrilled to be recognizing such a diverse range of companies and individuals,” says Jory Groberman, Executive Director of nextMEDIA. “Every year the bar is raised with innovative creativity, entrepreneurship, and pioneering technology.”

Previous CNMA winners include: the National Film Board of Canada, Titanium Chef, the Worldwide Short Film Festival, Air Canada's iPhone App and the Doritos White Bag campaign by BBDO.

New categories for 2010 include: Digital Media Division of the Year; Digital Media Technology of the Year; Best Online Program, Series or Film; Community Campaign of the Year; Interactive Designer of the Year; and Digital Media Woman of the Year.

The event is a four-part affair comprised of a pre-awards showcase, cocktail reception, awards
ceremony and the much-anticipated after-party.

2010 CNMA Nominees, Categories and Company Location:

Company of the Year sponsored by Deloitte: This award goes to the most ground-breaking Canadian new media company. Start-up or established, it's all the same category – the winning company will have taken digital media to the next level. Must make a minimum of $2 million in revenue.

  • Frima Studio
  • I Love Rewards
  • Metroleap
  • Syncapse Corp.
  • Vision Critical


Promising New Company of the Year sponsored by RBC Royal Bank: They have a vision, a two-year game-plan, a team of enthusiastic stars and a regulation-sized pool table. Now all they have to do is rise above the fray and make their mark. Award for the "up and coming" company of 2010.

  • Bitstrips Inc.
  • Entrinsic
  • Polar Mobile
  • Trend Hunter


Digital Media Technology of the Year: Awarded to the piece of technology that will most radically change the media landscape. Technology can be software or hardware based. The technology must have been created by Canadian developers working in Canada at the time of its development and launch.

  • dimeRocker, OverInteractive Media
  • HootSuite, HootSuite Media, Inc
  • Shiny Ads, Shiny Ads
  • Voices.com, Voices.com


Best in Canadian Culture – Interactive: Awarded to an interactive property which helps diverse canadian communities share their stories and cultural collections—from national and provincial to municipal and local— with new and growing international audiences. Must add visibility to Canada's cultural experiences through an online exploration of our heritage and culture.

  • Days of Remembrance, Canwest
  • Le Tapis rose de Catherine, Les Productions Rose Nanan
  • Redress Remix, Stitch Media
  • Tourism Montreal, Sid Lee


Best Cross-Platform Project: Recognizes excellence in interactive enhancement of a television property on digital platforms. Eligible projects could include games, websites and/or mobile applications associated with a television program.

  • Inside Disaster, PTV Productions Inc.
  • The Baxter Online Experience, Smokebomb Entertainment Inc.
  • The NFB Test Tube with David Suzuki, National Film Board of Canada
  • The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games from Canada’s Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium, CTV


Best Online Portal: An online video portal that distributes video content via the Internet or mobile technology. Videos can be any length or genre, and may include music videos, movies, news clips, videos, and full-length TV shows. Portals will be judged according to value of content for the audience, brand distinction, functionality and enhanced features such as social networking tools.

  • CTVOlympics.ca and RDSolympiques.ca: Canada’s Digital Olympic Destination, CTV
  • Doritos Viralocity, Proximity Canada
  • Hot Docs Library, Hot Docs
  • Urbania.ca, TOXA


Best Kids Interactive: Honouring excellence in the development of interactive platforms for both entertaining and informing children aged 13 and under. Entries include online video, websites, cross-platform media, and products with a digital environment.

  • MY LIFE ME / 3etMoi, CarpeDiem Film & TV inc
  • Overruled! You Rule, Smokebomb Entertainment Inc.
  • RoboMath / RoboMatique, Project Whitecard Inc.
  • The M.I. High Game: The Grand Mistress Mystery, Xenophile Media


Best Online Program, Series or Film: Recognizing excellence in the development of a production that is viewed exclusively by Internet audiences. Entries may include a factual or fictional production of any genre with no transmission on television or theatrical release prior to launch.

  • Canadians in Haiti: Stories of Loss and Remembrance, CBCNews.ca
  • En audition avec Simon, Radio-Canada
  • GDP – Measuring the human side of the Canadian economic crisis, National Film Board of Canada
  • RemYx, Vivavision


Best Mobile Application sponsored by Adenyo: Open to any application that delivers services to a mobile phone. This application demonstrates excellent functionality, innovation, audience reach and frequency, as well as excellence in the use of the capabilities of the mobile medium.

  • 2010 Guide - Official Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Mobile Spectator Guide, Xomo Digital Inc.
  • MyFoodFacts, Visdatec Inc.
  • NFB Films Application, National Film Board of Canada
  • Thumpies, Big Blue Bubble


Best Web-Based Game: Innovative games playable in a web browser created by Canadian developers for any market or audience. Entries may include games with either single or multiplayer experiences.

  • Experience the Haiti Earthquake, PTV Productions Inc.
  • Home Sweet Home Online, Big Blue Bubble
  • One Ocean Interactive, Tactica Interactive
  • Woozworld, Woozworld Inc.


Best Use of Social Media: Demonstrates excellent use of social media for business, arts, or community organizations. Must exhibit innovation in creating and connecting communities.

  • Doritos Viralocity, Proximity Canada
  • NOS Energy Drink Challenge    , Frantic Branded Content
  • Republic of Doyle, Republic Season 2, Inc.
  • Thoora.com, Thoora.com


Best Online Advertising: Excellence in the creation, delivery and execution of online advertising campaigns. Including but not limited to video, gaming, mobile, websites, banners, pop-ups, microsites, email, digital out of home, and rich media. Entries will be judged according to level of user engagement, awareness, and use of medium.

  • Gillette ProGlide, Proximity Canada
  • K-Y Intimacy Experiment, Noise Digital
  • Tic Tac Small Fun, Noise Digital
  • Tourism Montreal - Montreal buzz, Sid Lee


Best Branded Entertainment: Demonstration of content that uniquely positions a brand, product or service within the context of a multiplatform entertainment experience. Must include online video content and one other component (merchandise, mobile, games).

  • Cliff Your Ride, The Vacuum Design Inc.
  • Pedigree Adoption Drive, Proximity Canada
  • The Weak Shop, DDB Canada
  • Urbania.ca, TOXA


Community Campaign of the Year: Excellence in the use of the digital medium for communicating with, advocating for and marketing to communities about social causes affecting the world. Methods of outreach can include all forms of digital media, including websites, mobile, and social technologies.

  • It's Time To Shout, Gravity Ltd
  • Love Letters to the Future, Xenophile Media
  • Pocheville.ca - Motel Biqoudi, Inpix
  • The NFB Test Tube with David Suzuki, National Film Board of Canada


Special Achievement Categories:

Executive of the Year:

  • Alon Marcovici, CTV
  • Michael McGuigan, Breakthrough New Media
  • Ryan Holmes, HootSuite Media, Inc
  • Yann Paquet, Reader's Digest


Online Artist of the Year:

  • Arcade Fire
  • Deadmau5
  • Down With Webster
  • Hail the Villain


Producer of the Year:

  • Pablo Vio, Jam3
  • Philippe Lamarre, TOXA
  • Thomas Wallner, Xenophile Media
  • Victoria Ha, Stitch Media


Digital Media Woman of the Year:

  • Guinevere Orvis, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
  • Jessica Leigh Clark-Bojin, Vancouver Film School
  • Nadia G (aka Nadia Giosia), www.BitchinLifestyle.TV
  • Ramona Pringle, PeakMedia Collective


Developer of the Year:

  • Benoit Beausejour, Turbulent Media
  • Boris Chan, Xtreme Labs
  • Kris McLaughlin, The Vacuum Design Inc.
  • Matt Fisher, marblemedia


Interactive Designer of the Year:

  • Jason Kerr, Taxi
  • Myron Campbell, Switch United
  • Tyler Kealey, The Vacuum Design Inc.

LAST CALL - Canadian New Media Awards Competition 2010 Open for Entries
Submission deadline September 17, 2010

Toronto, ON – Only a few days left! The Canadian New Media Awards (CNMAs), the country’s only nationwide competition recognizing the accomplishments of Canada’s most successful digital media companies, closes to new submissions this Friday, September 17.

New categories for 2010 include: Digital Media Division of the Year; Digital Media Technology of the Year; Best Online Program, Series or Film; Community Campaign of the Year; Interactive Designer of the Year; and Digital Media Woman of the Year.

Celebrating its 10th year, the Canadian New Media Awards are a part of nextMEDIA Toronto, Canada’s leading forum for the convergence of all forms of digital media, taking place November 29 to 30, 2010 at the Design Exchange in Toronto. The CNMA gala ceremony will be held on December 1, 2010 on the Trading Floor of the Design Exchange.

Previous CNMA winners include: Titanium Chef; the Worldwide Short Film Festival; Air Canada iPhone App; the National Film Board of Canada; and the Doritos White Bag campaign by BBDO.

The event is a four-part affair comprised of a pre-awards showcase, cocktail reception, awards ceremony and the much-anticipated after-party.
 

Canadian New Media Awards Competition 2010 Open for Entries
Canada’s only digital media awards celebrate 10th anniversary

June 15th, Banff, AB - The Canadian New Media Awards (CNMAs), the country’s only nationwide competition recognizing the accomplishments of Canada’s most successful digital media companies, is now open for nominations. Celebrating its 10th year, the competition was kicked off today at the nextMEDIA Banff Interactive and Pilots Awards, being held concurrently with the Banff World Television Festival, the world’s premier event for the film & television industry. New categories for 2010 include: Community Campaign of the Year and Digital Media Technology of the Year.

The CNMAs are Canada’s only digital media awards and live digital marketplace. The awards are part of nextMEDIA Toronto, Canada’s leading digital media production and development marketplace, taking place November 29 to 30, 2010 at the Toronto Design Exchange. The CNMAs gala awards will be held November 30, 2010 at The Design Exchange in Toronto.

"Canada is a hotbed of digital innovation," says Mark Greenspan, executive producer of nextMEDIA. "Last year’s nominees and award recipients truly represented the best in digital media and we look forward to discovering fresh talent from leading-edge companies."

The event is a four-part affair comprised of a pre-awards showcase, cocktail reception, awards ceremony and the much-anticipated after-party.

2010 CNMA Categories are:

  • COMPANY OF THE YEAR - SPONSORED BY DELOITTE - Ground breaking Canadian new media company. Start-up or established, it's all the same category — the winning company will have taken digital media to the next level. Must make a minimum of $2 million in revenues.
  • PROMISING NEW COMPANY OF THE YEAR - They have a vision, a two-year game-plan, a team of enthusiastic stars and a regulation-sized pool table. Now all they have to do is rise above the fray and make their mark. Award for the "up-and-coming" company of 2010.
  • DIGITAL MEDIA TECHNOLOGY OF THE YEAR - Awarded to the piece of technology that will most radically change the media landscape. Technology can be software or hardware based. The technology must have been created by Canadian developers working in Canada at the time of its development and launch.
  • BEST IN CANADIAN CULTURE – INTERACTIVE - Interactive property which helps diverse Canadian communities share their stories and cultural collections, from national and provincial to municipal and local, with new and growing international audiences. Must add visibility to Canada's cultural experiences through an online exploration of our heritage and culture.
  • BEST CROSS-PLATFORM PROJECT - Excellence in interactive enhancement of a television property on digital platforms. Eligible projects could include games, websites and/or mobile applications associated with a television program.
  • BEST FRANCOPHONE WEBSITE - Awarded to a French-language website of any format that exhibits originality and excellence in the use of the online medium.
  • BEST ONLINE PORTAL - An online video portal that distributes video content via the internet or mobile. Videos can be any length and any genre, and may include music videos, movies, news clips, videos, and full-length TV shows. Portals will be judged according to value of content for the audience, brand distinction, functionality and enhanced features such as social networking tools.
  • BEST KIDS INTERACTIVE - Excellence in the development of interactive platforms for both entertaining and informing children aged 13 and under. Entries include online video, websites, cross-platform media, and products with a digital environment.
  • BEST ONLINE PROGRAM, SERIES OR FILM - Excellence in the development of a production that is viewed exclusively by internet audiences. Entries may include a factual or fiction production of any genre with no prior transmission on television or theatrical release prior to launch.
  • BEST MOBILE APPLICATION - Any application that delivers services to a mobile phone. This application demonstrates exceptional functionality, innovation, audience reach and frequency, as well as excellence in the use of the capabilities of the mobile medium.
  • BEST WEB-BASED GAME - Innovative games playable in a web browser created by Canadian developers for any market or audience. Entries may include games with either single or multiplayer experiences.
  • BEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA - Demonstrates excellent use of social media for business, arts, or community organizations. Must exhibit innovation in creating and connecting communities.
  • BEST ONLINE ADVERTISING - Excellence in the creation, delivery and execution of online advertising campaigns. Including but not limited to video, gaming, mobile technology, websites, banners, pop-ups, microsites, email, digital out of home, and rich media. Entries will be judged according to level of user engagement, awareness, and use of medium.
  • BEST BRANDED ENTERTAINMENT - Demonstration of content that uniquely positions a brand, product or service within the context of a multiplatform entertainment experience. Must include online video content and one other component (merchandise, mobile technology, games).
  • COMMUNITY CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR - Excellence in the use of the digital medium for communicating, advocating and marketing to communities about social causes affecting the world. Methods of outreach can include all forms of digital media, including websites, mobile, and social technologies.


Entrants of the 2010 Canadian New Media Awards are welcome to submit nominations in the following Special Achievement categories:

  • PRODUCER OF THE YEAR   
  • DESIGNER OF THE YEAR
  • EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR
  • DEVELOPER OF THE YEAR